Canada’s current approach to Arctic short-term in nature
When discussing marine shipping in the Arctic, the answer—as with most questions on the North—requires a whole-of-government approach. On April 30, 2018, a review of the 1972 Pilotage Act was submitted to the minister of transport as part of the Oceans Protection Plan (the last substantial changes to the act were passed in 1998) by […]
We are in a climate emergency
We are in a climate emergency. The debate is no longer about how we can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It is: how do we eliminate all emissions as quickly as possible? In this context, the transportation sector offers a wide array of low-hanging fruit. In Canada, transportation is the second largest climate-threatening sector—right after […]
Addressing the accessible transportation gap: access in an age of digital disruption
Transportation is often associated with hard infrastructure such as roads, tracks, curbs, airports, and ferry terminals. In the not so distant past, it was rare to think of digital technologies as being important to transportation. Today, the reality of the sector is much different. First, it was digital systems for facilitating ride-sharing which completely changed […]
Universal pharmacare benefits business and working families
Every government struggles with how best to support the people it serves. One hopes and assumes that decisions are based on thorough research, meaningful consultations, and with the guidance of experts in the field. So far, the federal government can check off all of these boxes when it comes to pharmacare. It appointed a council […]
Here’s what should be in Morneau’s next federal budget
TORONTO—Finance Minister Bill Morneau will present his fourth—and perhaps last—budget on Tuesday, March 19. It will be a pre-election budget, so will include a long and boastful list of accomplishments and, in the words of Finance Canada, “build on the success of the government’s plan, with continued investments in the things that matter most to […]
Bill C-69 is our chance to level up Canada’s environmental laws, and we can’t afford to miss it
Canadians depend on the federal government to safeguard our families, our health and the environment from pollution, toxic contamination and other potential harms. But in 2012, our environmental safety net was drastically weakened, leaving Canadians with toothless laws and flawed decision-making processes that put the environment and public at risk. Right now, we have a […]
Transport Minister Garneau says Ottawa’s ‘interested’ in potential benefits from West Coast high-speed rail proposal
Transport Minister Marc Garneau says he expects a report from a government-struck task force on school bus safety to be available before he meets with provincial and territorial transport ministers in the spring. In an email Q&A interview with The Hill Times for today’s transportation policy briefing, Mr. Garneau (Notre-Dame-de-Grâce-Westmount, Que.) said the task force—bringing together […]
Canadian icebreaking capabilities not up to snuff, experts say
The town of L’Anse-au-Loup, N.L., sits on north shore of the Strait of Belle Isle, just over 20 km east of the lower north shore of Quebec. The 600-person community relies on a ferry service to provide them with everything from groceries to propane. “All our grocery stores rely on it for their produce and […]
Driving the move towards zero-emission vehicles
The science is clear: climate change is happening. We have a great opportunity to take ambitious action. Now is the time to do the heavy-lifting to ensure a safer, healthier, and more prosperous future for all. Canadians understand this, and are looking to all levels of government to help make it easier for them to […]
Oil transportation: pipeline, rail line, both or neither
The transportation of Canada’s oil products to foreign and domestic markets has dogged the current Liberal government from day one. Since their election in 2015, the Liberals have claimed to support Canada’s oil producers, all the while playing footsie with pipeline opponents. Clearly, this Liberal government is trying to have its cake and eat it […]
